TROY — Just how long has it been since the Piqua boys cross country team competed as team in the regional cross country meet?

It was the fall of 1972 — and for those who need a refresher course — the Cincinnati Reds would lose the seventh game of the World Series to the Oakland A’s at Riverfront Stadium, the Miami Dolphins were just getting started on the only perfect season in NFL history and Richard Nixon was finishing up his first four years as president, before an ill fated second term.

But, all that will change at 2:45 Saturday afternoon when the D-I boys race gets started at Troy after Piqua grabbed the eight and final team spot at the district meet.

“We started looking at it last year as team started getting stronger,” Piqua boys cross country coach Ryan King said. “We knew it had been a long time. Chip (Piqua athletic director Chip Hare) was able to confirm it was 51 years.”

Piqua’s seven runners included Noah Burgh, Brycen Angle, Braden Holtvogt, Ty Pettus, AJ Burroughs, Evan Clark and Thurston Rampulla.

“Before the race, all the guys wrote 51 on their hands,” King said. “It was definitely a big goal. It was (pretty exciting when they qualified for regionals), but it isn’t just the seven guys that ran last Saturday. Our whole team depth has gotten so much stronger.”

The excitement has resonated all the way down through the program.

“It is a big thing for the entire program and the younger runners to see,” King said.

Three to watch

Tippecanoe’s Landon Kimmel, Burgh and Covington’s Asher Long are three runners to watch Saturday.

Kimmel has the fastest qualifying time for the Troy regional in 15:08.56, while Burgh has the 12th fastest time in 15:41.08.

In D-III, Long has the fastest qualifying time of 15:40.0.

Rare Double

Tippecanoe’s Morgan Collins will accomplish a rare double Saturday.

After playing in the girls D-II district tennis tournament, she leads the Red Devils into the D-II regional race.

Collins has the 11th fastest qualifying time of 19:54.19

BOYS

D-1, 2:45 p.m.

The top six teams and any individuals will qualify for next week’s state meet at Fortress Obetz.

The Tippecanoe boys finished fourth at the district meet to advance.

Joining Kimmel will be Ethan Berning, Luke Schwieterman, Dimitri Hartman, Everett Muhlenkamp, Sam Stark and Will Hept.

D-II, 12:45 p.m.

The top four teams and any individuals in the top 16 will advance on the the state meet.

The Milton-Union team will be competing, led by Ty Furlong.

Furlong has the 22nd fastest qualifying time.

Also running for the Bulldogs will be Colin Hinkleman, Chase Parsons, Zak Klepinger, Andrew Oaks, Jacob Grube and Tyler Shoemaker.

Bethel’s Austin Hawkins and Kade Schweikhardt and Miami East’s Gunner Weldy will be competing as individuals.

D-III, 10:45 a.m.

The top four teams and any individuals in the top 16 will advance on to the state meet.

Long and the Covington boys will compete as a team.

Other Covington runners include Preston King, Caleb Ryman, Tanner Palsgrove, Calub Hembree, Chris Deaton and Beck Wilson.

GIRLS

D-I, 2 p.m.

The top five teams and any individuals in the top 20 will advance to state.

Running for Troy will be Lily Zimmerman and Ashley Kyle.

D-II, Noon

The top four teams and any individual in the top 16 will advance to state.

Joining Collins on the Tipp team will be Leda Anderson, Katelyn Beeson, Gracie Wead, Kali Greth, Lauren Anderson and Belle Stanford.

Miami East’s Maryn Gross will be competing as an individual.

D-III, 10 a.m.

The top three teams and any individual in the top 12 will advance on to the state meet.

Covington advanced as a team led by Johanna Welborn, who has the 14th fastest qualifying time, 19:57.21.

Also running for Covington are Elyza Long, Kassidy Turner, Lucy Welborn, Ella White, Delaney Murphy and Bella Welch.

Troy Christian’s Elisabeth Waltz has the 15th fastest qualifying time of 19:57.28 and Milton-Union’s Savanna Smith has the 19th fastest qualifying time of 20:10.32.

Sports Editor Rob Kiser can be reached at [email protected]